BXBX NOVEL Chapter 92 - 87: Master Hu Becomes Enthralled i
Being an Appraiser really does make money, identifying just one insect could earn a minimum of twenty wen.
Qin Niu mulled over this secretly in his heart.
Currently, his Insect Identification skill had achieved some minor success could he possibly apply to become an Insect Identification Master?
If that were the case, he could earn this money himself whenever he sold insects in the future.
Plus, it would save a lot of trouble.
After thanking the kind-hearted uncle, Qin Niu headed straight for the Insect Master Association.
“Hey, your Jin Chan probably can’t even cover the appraisal fee if you sell it, better let it go!”
The uncle thought he was going to look for an Appraiser inside.
Qin Niu didn’t pay him any mind and went directly to the front of the Insect Master Association’s hall.
Actually, it wasn’t far, just at the end of this alley.
No wonder all the insect vendors concentrated their stalls on this auxiliary road.
Those who enter the Insect Master Association are either Insect Masters, aspiring Insect Masters, or sellers looking for Insect Identification Masters to appraise their insects.
Like most governmental organizations, the hall of the Insect Master Association featured high steps and was tall and imposing in architecture.
It made one feel rather insignificant standing at its entrance.
Without grandeur, there is no weight to one’s authority.
The founders of the Insect Master Association understood this well.
The two stone sculptures placed at the entrance were not auspicious beasts like lions or Kylins, but two lifelike worker ants.
This surprised Qin Niu.
It was understandable for the Insect Master Association to use insect statues, but ants were often deemed as the most lowly creatures, associated much more with humility than with dominance or martial prowess.
Even sculpting a pair of mantises or stag beetles would be a hundred times better!
One could see Insect Masters and aspiring Insect Masters in long gowns or robes coming and going.
All Insect Masters and aspiring Insect Masters within the Black Tiger Gang’s territory, who needed to process certifications or other matters, did so here.
Consequently, there were naturally many people around.
Dressed in tattered clothes and carrying a basket on his back, Qin Niu looked particularly out of place in this locale, like a hillbilly venturing into the city for the first time.
There were two soldiers clad in Hundred-Tempering Black Armor standing guard at the entrance of the hall.
This, at least, added a bit more prestige to the Insect Master Association.
The main entrance led to the service hall, while the smaller door to the right led to the Insect Identification Hall.
A small door on the left seemed to lead to the second floor.
It was unclear what it was used for.
It might be where the leaders of the Insect Master Association had their offices.
Upon entering the service hall, one could see various service windows and tables for Insect Masters and aspiring Insect Masters to fill out paperwork.
The two black-armored guards didn’t stop him.
“Excuse me, could you tell me how to apply for Insect Master certification?”
Qin Niu asked a woman clad in a black robe who worked there.
She wasn’t wearing a hat, indicating that she wasn’t a regular staffer.
The slightly puffed chest of her uniform bore the four characters for the Insect Master Association.
“You… You’re applying for Insect Master certification?”
The female helper was quite young, probably in her early twenties, slender and pretty.
It’s understandable. Being able to work at the Insect Master Association was a coveted and stable job that many envied.
The staff they hired certainly had high requirements for appearance, cultural level, and professional knowledge.
“Yes.”
Qin Niu remained composed.
“To certify as an Insect Master, you need to have a Grade Three insect and be able to command it.”
“Any other requirements?”
“None.”
“Then 1 believe I meet the qualifications.”
Qin Niu’s tone remained calm, but the people around him became anything but.
“Very well, please first fill out this Insect Master certification application form, and then go to window number one to pay the fee and complete the certification.”
The female helper’s manner of addressing him had quietly changed.
Because if this man did indeed have a Grade Three insect that he could command, he would instantly be elevated to the esteemed rank of Insect Master.
After filling out the form, Qin Niu went to the window to pay the fee, which was not expensive—just two wen money.
It was probably just a nominal charge.
“Chairman Li, there’s an application for Insect Master certification.”
“Bring him in!”
A robust male voice came from the inner room, most likely belonging to someone no younger than forty years old.
The staff member opened the door from the inside, and Qin Niu was invited in.
The office inside wasn’t large, about twenty square meters or so.
It contained filing cabinets, a desk, and a peculiar platform.
It was four feet square, made entirely out of carved jade.
It featured various ‘bridge holes’ and ‘roadblocks?
Looking at it, it seemed almost like a modern driving practice course.
“Yo, quite a young lad, eh! Please, take a seat!”
Chairman Li was very courteous to Qin Niu.
He was a middle-aged man in his forties with graying temples. Whether from excessive indulgence or work pressure, he appeared quite old for his age.
The vigor is indeed remarkable.
“Take out your Grade Three insect and let me have a look,”
Qin Niu took out the pottery jar containing the termites.
“Fourth, come out!”
With Qin Niu’s command, a green figure rapidly crawled out from the jar.
Chairman Li’s expression, initially indifferent, became serious in an instant, and his gaze turned focused.
He watched Fourth as it crawled out.
After staring for a while, his face showed a mix of envy and surprise.
“It’s actually a termite, and an extremely rare breed at that, with an exceedingly long lifespan. May I ask how you came by it?”
“It was after a heavy rain. 1 subdued a female ant, and then it laid a batch of worker ants. After that, I left them in the mountains and didn’t care for them. As a result, the first batch of worker ants suffered an accident, leaving only this one alive. As for what happened, I’m not very clear. I feel something big must have happened on the night of the accident.”
Qin Niu had thought through his story well in advance.
Half-truths and half-lies.
He would certainly not reveal the Ancient Banyan Tree as a major treasure.
After listening, Chairman Li’s expression of envy became even thicker.
“Xiao Cui, please call Master Hu over.”
He instructed the female employee outside.
Not long after, a gaunt old man with a goat beard walked in quickly. This old man was very short, less than 1.3 meters, likely a dwarf.
The long goat beard floated in front of his chest, but he was wearing the black robe only an Insect Master could wear, with gold trims at the cuffs and collar.
Embroidered on his chest was “Chief Identification Master of the Insect Master
Association.”
Appearances can be deceiving indeed.
Who would have thought that such a small-statured man would turn out to be the Chief Identification Master of the Insect Master Association?
“Master Hu, this termite is unlike any I have ever seen in my life. My identification skills are limited, so please take a look and see what breed it is!”
Chairman Li spoke very politely to Master Hu.
Master Hu’s gaze had already fixed on the termite on the table, deaf to Chairman Li’s words.
He was like an artist, utterly fascinated by an indescribably exquisite piece of art.
“Tsst, tsst, this pattern, this skin color, and that metallic sheen on the mandibles, what a rarity in this world! No… this is an extreme rarity, not just a rare breed. It’s a pity one of its antennae is broken; it must be very aggressive by nature,”
Master Hu muttered to himself.
The more he looked at the termite, the more spellbound he became.
“Ahem… Master Hu, I know you get engrossed whenever you see a rare or unusual insect, but could you start by identifying its breed?”
Seeing that Master Hu was not yet finished, Chairman Li had no choice but to awaken the engrossed old man.
Otherwise, given Hu’s disposition, he might have studied for three days and nights without finishing.
“The pattern on its body is quite peculiar, somewhat resembling that of a Tiger Stripe Ant, but I feel its pattern is more intricate and the color is deeper, likely stronger than the Tiger Stripe Ant. It has the powerful mandibles of a soldier ant, as well as the mouthparts of worker ants. Its body and six legs have integrated some of the advantages of both worker and soldier ants, which is incredibly rare. Also, I suspect it could be poisonous, as 1 won’t mistake that unique scent; moreover, the poison is highly potent.
To ascertain the exact type of venom, one would need to have it bite another insect.
The skin on its body shines with a metallic luster, as if it’s clad in iron armor, much like the predacious Ironclad Tiger Stripe Ant.
Even with one antenna broken, it’s still apparent.
Based on my expertise in appraisal, the Ironclad Tiger Stripe Ant often possesses a unique ability in battle, which is berserk. Once it enters a berserk state, its combat capabilities will be greatly enhanced, including speed, biting force, and defensive abilities, at least doubling.
This termite is much larger than the highly unusual Tiger Stripe Ironclad Soldier Ant, several times stronger, and with a more intricate pattern, and the aura it emits is extremely powerful, indicating it is more formidable than the Tiger Stripe Ironclad Ant.
It can be determined without a doubt that it is a Grade Three termite, but as for the specific breed, I’m afraid my level of appraisal is limited, and I’m unable to identify it for the time being,”
Master Hu analyzed the abilities of this termite in detail, like reciting precious knowledge.
Displaying high appraisal skills, he certainly lived up to the title of Chief Identification Master.
It’s just that the Ironclad Battle Demon Ant is so rare that even he couldn’t determine its exact breed.
Many insects can be appraised only to family, which is quite good already.
Some can be identified only to order.
To identify the species, even master appraisers specializing in ants might not have that capability.
“You’re so enviable! Your luck is truly extraordinary, young man.”
Chairman Li was quite satisfied with the appraisal result.
“All right then, congratulations on passing the Insect Master certification, I’ll go ahead and process the relevant procedures for you now. Please give me your waist badge, and 1 will replace it with an Insect Master’s badge.”
The certification process for an Insect Master turned out to be much simpler than expected.
“Qin Niu!”
Master Hu looked at Qin Niu’s waist badge and read his name.
“May I see your Ant Queen? Such a powerful termite must have come from her, so I believe she must possess excellent genetics.”
Because for Insect Master certification, it’s only necessary to have one Grade Three insect that can follow commands.
Therefore, Master Hu wanted to see his Ant Queen and had to get Qin Niu’s permission.
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No problem.”
All of Qin Niu’s special termites were kept inside the Ant Nest.
The termites he brought were not afraid to be seen by others.
“Ant Queen, come out.”
Following Qin Niu’s command, the Ant Queen slowly crawled out of the jar.
Her size had become seriously bloated, appearing rather corpulent.
Now laying a hundred eggs a day, her accumulation of energy seemed to be accelerating.
“What an exquisite Ant Queen!”
Master Hu’s eyes lit up again as he observed the Ant Queen with keen interest.
■I
Her abdomen is quite large, her butt is flat and round, indicating she is prolific. Her antennae are agile, and the rhythm of their movement is complicated yet not chaotic, which means her intelligence far surpasses that of the average termite. May I take a look at her abdomen?”
Master Hu sought Qin Niu’s consent..